Thousands of students will see the biggest shake-up of further education on Teesside in a generation.

Plans have been unveiled to carry out a string of mergers under an attempt to transform the training provided to over-16s.

Authorities say the move is needed to create “world-class” further education for our area.

Middlesbrough College and Redcar and Cleveland College are set to combine forces while Stockton Riverside College could join up with Darlington College.

Hartlepool College and Hartlepool Sixth Form College are also set to merge.

It has not yet been indicated if – and how many – jobs could affected under the proposals.

Gill Alexander, Hartlepool Council chief executive, said: “These proposals will create a system which delivers world-class further education in the Tees Valley and which fully meets the needs of local young people, adults and employers.”

The plans follow a review of further education and sixth form colleges carried out as part of a nationwide government programme.

It considered further education provision in the Teesside area, covering the five local authority areas of Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton.

Six colleges were involved –Cleveland College of Art and Design, Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton Riverside, Hartlepool Sixth Form College, Prior Pursglove College in Guisborough and Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College in Darlington.

Representatives from each of the colleges, the local authorities, Tees Valley Unlimited and Tees Valley Combined Authority have been involved in developing the plans along with Gill Alexander, Hartlepool Council chief executive, and Sir David Collins, the Government’s FE Commissioner.

Along with the potential mergers they also agreed that:

Cleveland College of Art and Design will remain as an independent institution,

The recently-merged Prior Pursglove and Stockton Sixth Form College will pursue academy status and establish or join a multi-academy trust with local schools,

Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College in Darlington will remain independent and pursue academy status as part of a multi-academy trust with local schools.

The draft recommendations will now go forward to public consultation.

Zoe Lewis, Middlesbrough College (Image: Middlesbrough College)

The heads of Middlesbrough College and Redcar and Cleveland College welcomed the news.

Zoe Lewis, principal and chief executive of Middlesbrough College said: “As we move through these discussions we will consult fully on the proposals with staff, students and key stakeholders. Discussions at the moment are at an early stage, but extremely positive.”

Bosses at Stockton and Darlington colleges said a merger would build on the “positive collaboration” between the two boroughs, good transport links and a strong sense of history.

Mark White, chair designate of the Stockton Riverside College Board, and Pat Howarth, chair of the Darlington College Board, said the discussions had been “very positive and in the spirit of an equal partnership”

In a joint statement they said: “We believe there is huge potential and a great opportunity for both colleges to work together.

“This is a period of significant change in the further education sector and we are positioning ourselves to seize new opportunities for students, staff and employers across the communities that we serve.”

The colleges said both are financially viable and do not need to merge, but believe the move would be positive for the area.